Beet harvesting and topping machine.



T. V. FETTIG. BEET HARVESTING AND TOPPING MACHINE.

' APPLICATION FILED AUG.3I. I915. 1, 175,41 9. Patented Mar. 14,1916.

6 SHEETS-SHEET l- T. V. FETTIG.

BEET HARVESTING AND TOPPING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED AUG.3I, IBIS.

1 1 75,4 1 9 Patented Mar. 14, 1916 6 SHEETS-SHEEI2 my. a

T. V. FETTIG.

BEET HARVESTING AND TOPPING MACHINE.

1,175,419. Patented Mar. 14,1916. 6 SHEETS-SHEET 4.

T. V. FETHG. BEET HARVESTING AND TOPPING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED AUG.3I, l9'5. 1,175,419. Patented Man14,191(1 6 SHEETS-SHEET 5.

wmmm I T. V. FETTIG. BEET HARVESTING AND TOPPING MACHINE. APPucATmN me AUG31.1915. 1,175,419. atented Mar. 14, 1916.

6 sHEETs-ITEU 6.

WWW W 7 W 3% "kw and 'lopping Machines, of which the follow 'UNXTED STAKES LFFATEHT UFFICE.

THEODORE V. FETTXG, F ELNOOD. INDIANA.

BEET HARVESTING AND TOPPING MACHINE.

ToJzlL-whom it may concern:

llcit known that I. Tinconoiu-z V. FETTLG, a citizen of the United States, residing at l li' K d, in the countyof- Madison and State of ludianmhave inventedcertain new and useful Iu'ipi orenients. in Beet Harvesting lug is a specification.

The; present invention relates to beet har ve tin and topping machines and consists \Q. p 1n 1&5.COD'lblIlZlLIOIlS and arrangements or parts hereinafter described and )articularly set forth in the accoinpairyiug claims.

illie intention has for its purprse to providean'aplnufatus comprising n'ieans to cut anil-fremm'e' the beets from the gmund, to all the. tops oft-he beets, and finally to so arz' i'te the tops thus removed from the 1nd convey both beets and beet tops to p2 i'its ren its from the machine where they may bedelivcred into suitable receptacles. vl it isfi rtherproposed to pro ide the 'n'ie-clianisni "necessary to carrying out the l regoing"operations all mounted on a vahiclefand operable through the travel \nothe'robject of the invention consists flg a'beet harvester of this charenwherem the different units of the app. atus' are related or inter-depemlent, one upo ufthe other, to the end that the same will I I operate-"as a' single machine for removii'ig and freeing the beets from the earth to their linal discharge. And in which the. mechan'i'srn is'si-mple in construction and manner otworking. and readily controllablefrom the position of the operator. 1 'The'inven'tion is shown by way of illustration; in the accompanying drawings in which I Figure l is a side elevational View of the machine complete. .Fig. 2 is a transverse sect-ionalyiew taken on the'line '22 of Fig.

l- -andlooking in the direction of the arrows. F g. 3 -is"'a transverse sectional View taken the h'ne'3-3 of Fig. 1 and looking in'the d rec tion'of the arrows. 'Fig. 4 is an enljaiged sectional view taken on line 44. of Fig 4? is a sectional view taken. or. line P of Fig. 2. Fig. 5 is an enlarged central sectional view of the beet puller. Fig. 6 is a detailed view of the spreader for the cam track. 7 is a tie tailed view of one of the beet puller 32.113. Fig. 8 a detailed view of a pair of grips of the beet carrier. Fig. 9 is a Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Liar. 14c, 1916.

Application filed August 31, 1915. Serial No. 48,181.

in member for spreading the beet puller arms, and Figs. 1.8, 19, and 20 are detailed views of the heel; operated tripping device in different positions.

beet carrier and topper consists essentially oii fire units, towitz means for cutand partially raising the beets from the earth; an apparatus for pulling from the ground tae bee-ts thus raised; an apparatus for topping the beets; tripping'apparatus associated with. the beet puller and toppingapparatus for timing the functions of 'the I ig 1? a detail View of cam track actual};

latter; and the com'e'yers for separating and removing the bectsandj the beet-tops,"a'nd inthis relation the machine will now be (loscribed. p

The beet cutter. or plow consists of a.

blade 1 mounted on the extension 2 of the arm 3 that is fulcrumed on the shaft 4 of the. vehicle frame 5, and said blade is located at the proper position in the ground and. upwardly inclines toward the rear,

wherehy to initially lift the beet when the same has been cut from its roots. The arm extension 2 is pivotally mounted on the arm 3 at the point 6, and an easily breakable pin 7 forms the rigid joint between the arm 3 and its extension so it will break andallow the blade, to swing upwardly or give in the event it should strike a rigid obstacle.

The beet pulling apparatus comprises a frame 8 tha is swingingly mounted on the shaft 9 suitably journaled in thefrainework;

10 on the body 11 of the vehicle. A shaft 12 is journaled on thezfrec end of the frame 8 and'has a sprocket wheel. 13 connected to be driven from theshaft 9 by the chain Lt that engages with the sprocket wheel 15 On said shaft 9. The sprocket 15 is in turn driven from the sprocket 18 on the wheel 16 by the chain 16 riding on sprocket wheel 17.

Said sprockets i5 and 17 are mounted to turn ireeiy on the shaft 9, and a releasable v clutch 19, having a tensiomng spring 20 (see Figs. 3 and 14) forms the direct driving connection between the sprockets 15 and 17. One member of the clutch 19 is secured to an arm 19 fixed on the swinging frame 8 (see Fig. 1) and the other clutch member is fixed to the arm 19 (see Fig. 3) on the vehicle frame 10 so thatwhen the swinging frame 8 is raised the clutch members will be disconnected to throw the machine out of gear.

A pair of shoulder wheels 21 is fixed to rotate with the shaft 12 and has hingedly mounted on the shoulders or peripheries thereof, each a series of beet puller arms 22 (see Figs. 5 and 7)," and said arms are arranged n coiiperable pairs and 'have their active ends constructed to form hands 23 which grab the beets as the latter are raised by the blade 1 progressively with the travel of the vehicle. The puller arms 22 are adapted to be operated in the direction of the arrow X to grip and release the beets at proper intervals through the medium of cam tracks formed intwo sections 24 and 25, connected by frames 26 and 27 respectively to the axle 12,'a.ud the beet puller arms are held in engagement with the cam tracks by means of spring tensioned rods 22 mounted on said arms and ,on rotatable carriers 0! frames 23*, rotatable with the shaft 12. The tensioning springs 24" of the rods 22 act to hold said .puller arms in engagement with the cam tracks and-to close Said arms to grip the beets at the proper periods bf their rotation.

The section 24 of the cam tracks is held rigid by a pair of arms 28 and 29 see Figs. 2 and 4) secured to said tracks and mounted on the shaft 30 that is suitably journaled in the uprights 31 on the swinging frame 8.

. The arm 28 is formed with an extension 32 apertured to receive the rod 33 adapted to slide therethrough, and the rod is slidably mounted in one of the uprights 31. The cam tracks 25 are mounted to oscillate on the shaft 12, whereby to forcibly bring the nose or wedge end 34 (see Fig. 6) to en ter between the pairs of beet puller arms 27. The shaft 30 has a squared portion 36 slidably mounting a toothed quadrant 37 by a sleeve 38 that has'a shoulder 39, and said toothed gear 37 is adapted to be brought into mesh with the pinion 40 journaled on the upright arm 31 and meshing with the pinion 41 that constantly rotates with the shaft 12. The push rod 33 is connec'ted at one end 42 to an arm of the bellcrank lever 43 that is fulcrumed at 44 to the upright 31 and whose other arm 45 connects to a second bell-crank lever 46 by anrotatable shafts, intermittently strikes a projecting arm 48 mounted on the frame arm 49 and which connects to one arm of the bell-crank lever 50, also fulcrumed on said arm 49 and connecting with the bellcrank lever 46 by the rod or wire 51 (see Fig. 4). When the quadrant gear 37 is shifted to engage with the pinion 40, the shaft 30 isoscillated, and in turn operates the movable cam track section 25 with which said shaft 30 connects through the link 35, and a cam 52 mounted on the quadrant acts against a spring pressed pin or latch 53, and when said quadrant has completed its move ment, the latch 53 moves to engage the end of the cam and temporarily hold the quadrant. Said latch 53 is mounted on'the upright 31 of the swinging frame (see Fig. 2). A spring 54 is mounted on the shaft 30 and has its respective ends secured to said quadrant pinion 37 and the fixed upright 31, and acts to displace the quadrant pinion from engagement with the pinion 40, when the weight 55 (see Fig. 4) swings the cam track section and the quadrant'pinion back to normal positions. Said weight 55 is mounted on the arm 56 that is a part of the track supporting frame 27 and is released to swing at the end of each rotation of the quadrant gear 37. .Said frame 27 and the weight 55 are connected by lever 35'with the shaft 30 that carries the quadrant gear 37 having the cam 52.

The blade 1 and the frame carrying thebeet puller apparatus are adapted to be raised clear of the ground by means of the hand-operated lever 57 fulcrumed on the" shaft 4, and a rocker shaft 58 that 'is journaled in suitable bearings 59 on top of the frame 10; and said rocker shaft carries a pair of levers 59 connecting with the frame .8 by rods 60, and a second pair of levers 61 connect, by rods 62, to the levers 63 secured to the respective ends of the shaft 4. The blade carrying arms 3 are independently mounted on the shaft 4 and 'have sleeves 64 formed with slots to receive the pins 65 whereby the initial motion of the lever 57 will first elevate the frame 8 from its position of support on the body 11 of the vehicle and the further movement of said lever will raise the blade 1 from the ground.

The beet carrier and topping mechanism consists of a plurality of pairs of stafl's 66 and 67 (see Figs. 3, 8 and 9) mounted to freely rot-ate on the shaft 9 in the direction of the arrow Y through the miter-gear 9 that drives the ratchet wheel 77 secured on 1 the shaft 9, and said miter-gear is in turn .driven by the bevel gear 9, that is secured to thes n'oeket wheel 15, said staffs are ar- 5-ranged in pairs; and each of said pairs t 1'; -f S equipped with two pairs otslide :ha-rsGS that carry gripping devices (39 that vare constructed p'reterahlv angular and pivotally connected to their respective slide m bars The slide liars (38 have mounted on their outer ends rollers 70 adapted to envgage respectively with rain tiaclis 71 that -.act,. through the rotation of the stalls. to spread or separate the slide bars carrying vthegrippers, and a spring 72 acts to draw tlierslid e bars together. as will he understood. Each pair of grippers ()9 is formed itliextensions 73 ha vin; ram slots 74 with- I in which work pins 73 on arms 7(3 carried zoj iythe s tafl's and said ram slots and pins [015 mm to hold the grippers in open or 1 closed position accordingly as said slide lHll5 are moved inwardly or outwardly see Figs. 7 3 and "T he staffs (3(3 and (ii are rotated on the shaft 9 by means of a ratchet wheel 77 (see Figs?) and i0) fixed. on the shaft 57 and :i da j'ited to engage with pawls 78 and 79 lepending from arinsiw'il mounted on the St)" iaftSI which in turn. jouri'ialed on the staffs,- as shown: and said pawls and T9 areindepemlrntly moved into engagement with thotceth of the ratchet wheel W by (means of a pair of springs secured to arms 80 and the cross-piece S3 connecting -t-he'stafis. When the stalls carrying the l'ieets' have heen brought to a point slightly j'li'eyond their inipern'iost positions, the pawls -78 and 79 thereof are engaged by the 40 ratchet wheel 77, and this movement brings fthe beets against the edge of the cutter tha't removes the heet tops.

-of said stalls is autmi'iatically effected by a lever (see Figs. 1. 3 and 10) that is 46 formed continuous with each shaft U1, and said lever 85 is adapted to engage with a iswiveled stop 86 mounted on a pivot pin 87 secured to the frame arm 49. and said stop --.,S(Jis normally hold out of the path of the 60; levers 85 of the several pairs of stalls by a atorsion spring}; 88 whose respective ends are secured to the frame extension 49 and the stop, A latch 89, also mounted on the frame extension 49, engages with the stop 86 and fi b ten'ds to hold the same in the path of said ie ers through the action of a spring 91) connected to said latch 89. The function of .;ato.ps N3 is therefore to trip the lovers $5 anda'aisc the pawls 7s and Ti from engage fit) nrent with the ratchet wheel 7? and momen 7 tarily hold the stalls 'lroi'n further motion I 1e topper lilade hi.

0. just in advance of [l and said stops are then moved liy the trip ping apparatus to restore the driving connection with the ratchet wheel T7, when the It is The releasing shafts carrying the beet are moved forward and later release the gripped beets by reason of the spreading of the cam tracks.

The tripping liidnll'iltllf tor moving the stop 86 from the path of the levers 85 conis of a wire 91 (see Figs. 1,4. 18 19. and 20) connecting with tho hellrranl; lever mounted on the upright Ill and which. in turn. connects with a second hell-crank lever Uilnttarlird to a wire 8H leading to a tripping device mounted on a leg of the :am truck frame it (see Fig. l). Said tripping device consists oi a rod 971 slidahly mounted in the bracket 96 that is secured to said frame 26. and an arm 7 is connected to the rod and carries a roller 98. A Cam lever pivoted on the l'rame it. is conncrtrd to said wire ill and is so shaped that it permits the roller 5% lo sliu olt a'l tel said. ram lever has liven pulled down a suilicient distant-e to disengage the latclrSf from holding the stop 8G. The :am lever 99 is also so shaped that utter it is restored to its m'iginal position it l'orees rod 93 to slide hat-l; quirldy to original position. As soon as the studs have been permittml to pass the slop Hl'i. said staffs engage with a projecting arm 100 connected to more. the stop so in position to interrupt or halt the following pair of sta-l'l's through disengaging their driving connection with the pinion 77, in the manner just stated.

llarh stall (27 carries a rcarwardlyextended arm 101. so disposed that the several arms will he simultaneously moved back to engage with the. trip lovers Sfi of their respective following statl's. and thus halt the stalls against cr wding and at their properly spaced 'iositions. The stalls are prevented from falling liacliward by means of a series ol springpressed catches 102 (see Figs. 1. l5 and 1(3) that are mounted on the segmental rail 1021 suilalily secured to the frame Ill and adapted to engage the staff.

arms (36. Said catches are disposed to allow the stalis to pass freely in one direction. hut prevent their movement in the opposiie direction, as will he understood from an inspection of Figs. 3. l5 and 1-6.

fter the boot has been topped by the hlade. 84, the stai'l's swing along the cam tracks Tl and, when said tracks spread, the slide liars 8 are separated and the grippers ($9 opened to mlease the heel? into its con- \'cyor.and following this, said stalls are moved on until stopped by the trailing arm 101 of the immediately preceding pair of sta'rls. (1. approximately at the point of the frame H. Here the cam tracks end and the grippers (33 close on the boot now held ready lay the puller arms 22. and which is the same hect that prm'ionsly released the latch 81) liy engaging with the trip har 95.

The conveying apparatus consists of a features of the vehicle and Supporting the traveling chain 105 that carries .a plurality of blades or cross-boards 106 (see Fig. 3), and said chain is driven from the axle 9 by the chain 105 riding on pinions 106 and 107 on the shafts 9 and 108 respectively. The endless carrier (105 and 106) is adapted to receive the beet tops falling from thechute 107 onto said carrier between the side guards 108 mounted" on the conveyer frame 104. A similar endless carrier 109, driven with the first carrier,-is mounted to travelon the frame 104 and receives the beets at the point where the cam tracks 71 widen, and side guards 110 are .mounted on the frame 104 at this position. The discharging ends of the two conmy ers are located on the two sides ofa dividing board 111 (see Figs. 11 and 12), and a pair of chutes 112 is hingedly mounted on the dividing board and project onthe two sides thereof in the manner shown in Fig. 3.. The bottoms of the conveyersare covered withheavy wire mesh which permits the soil shaken from the beets to sift through.

It is obvious that thoseskilled in the art may vary the .details of construction and arrangement .of parts without. departingv from the spirit of the. invention, and there fore I do not wish to be limited to such except .as'may be required by. the claims. I

Having thus described invention, what I claim as new and desire to" protect by United States LettersPatent is:

1. In-a beet-harvesting machine the combination-of ;a vehicle, means carried by-the "vehicle for cutting and .partially raising the beetsfrom' the ground; rotatable supports mounted on the vehicle, beet puller arms hingedly mounted in pairs on said supports, cam tracks located between said pairs of arms, rotatable frames mounted on the vehicle, spring tensioned rods carried by said arms and the rotatable frames and operable to hold the arms in engagement with said cam tracks, and means for rotating said supports and frames to actuate the arms, substantially as set forth. a

2. In a beet harvesting machine the combination of a vehicle, means carried by the vehiclefor cutting and partiallyraising the beets from the ground, beet puller arms arranged in pairs and= rotatably mounted on the vehicle, cam tracks located betweensaid puller arms and having a; movable section,

' means for holding the arms inengagement with said cam tracl 5. means for rotating the arms through the navel of the vehicle, and automatically operable-means for intermit- .tently actuating said movable cam track section to separate said arms to engage the beets, substantially as set forth.

3. In a beet harvesting machine the combination of a vehicle, means carried by 116 the vehicle, ,cam tracks located between said puller arms and-having an oscillative section adapted to spread said pairs of arms, means for holding the arms in engagement with said cam tracks, means for rotatin the arms through the travel of the vehicle, and automatically operablemeans' for intermittently actuating said oscillative trackisection to separate thearms to engage thebeets, substantially as set'forth. J

4. In a beet harvesting machine the com bination of a vehicle, means carried by. the vehicle for cutting and partially raising the beets from the ground, rotatable supports mounted on the vehicle, beet puller arms arranged in pairs and hingedly' mounted 0n said supports, rotatable frames, mounted on the vehicle, cam tracks located between said rotatable arms and having .an oscillative section adapted to spread said pairs of arms, spring pressed rods carried by said rotatable supports and frames and operable to hold said puller arms'in engagement with the cam tracks, and means for operating said puller arms and intermittently .actuating said oscillative section toseparate the arms to engage the beets, substantially as 5. In abeet harvesting machine the combination ofv avehiole, meansicarried by-the vehicle for pulling the beets from the ground comprising rotatable gripping arms arranged in pairs,movable cam"t-racks adapt v comprising rotatable gripping arms arranged in pairs, movable cam tracks adapt- .ed to separate said pairs of-arms to grip the beets, a link fulcrumedon' the vehicle and connected to actuate the cam tracks, a gearing driven from the vehicle,- ase'gmental gear connected to said link', and automatically actuated means for connecting the segmental gear to'saiddriven gearing, substan tially as set forth.

7. In a be'et harvesting machine the combinationof .a vehicle, means carried bythe vehicle for pulling the beets from the ground comprising rotatable" gripping arms arranged in pairs, movable cam tracks adapted to separate said pairsof arms to grip the beets, a link fulcrumed on the vehicle and connected to actuate the cam tracks, a gearing driven from the vehicle; a segmental gear slidably mounted on the vehicle and connected to said link, automatically actuated means for shifting the segmental gear to engage the driren gearing. and autir lilfltltilll) actuated means for \lisronnerting the segmental gear from the driven gear ing, substantially as set l'ortl v 8. In a beet harvesting mr .hine the combination of a vehicle. means rarrietl by the vehicle for pulling the beets from the ground comprising rotatable gripping arms ar-- ranged in pairs. movable rain tracks adapt ed to separate said pairs of arms to grip the boots. a shaft journaled on the vehicle. a link fixed on said shaft and rouueeted to actuate said cam tracks. a gearing driven from the vehicle. a segmental gear sliilahlv mounted on the link shaft and adapt d to ngage with said driven g aring to operate thrcan: tracks. and automatieall x' artuated. means for connecting and di.--'eonneniin;5 the mental gear from the driven gearing. stantially as set forth.

5). in a heel harvestiin maehine the coup hination of a vehiele means rarried by the vehicle for pulling: the heels from the ground eomp'rising rotatable, Jri rping arizra "lodged in pairs. movabl cam t!'=i.l{:-i adapted to separate said pairs of arms t grip the beets, a shaft jonrnaled on the vehii-le. link fixed on said shatt and eoi'znertr-l to artuaie said ram traeks, a gearing driven from. the vehicle. a segmental gear slidably mount d on the link shaft and adapted to engage with said driven gearing to ope "ate the on tracks. a push rod automatically open to shift the segmental geartoengagetl'iedriven gearing, and a spring and a cam element mounted on the link shaft and segn'ien'l'al gear respertively and roi'iperahle to automatieall); disconnect the s mental grea and restore the same to normal. substantially set forth.

10. ln :1. beet harvesting; machine the oombination of a. vehiele, means earried by the vehirie. for pulling the heetstroui the ground comprising: rotatable gripping arms an ranged in pairs n'iorahle earn tracks adapted to separate said pairs of arms to grip the beets. a S itli t journaled on the vehicle. a link fixed on said shaft and connected to actuate said Cam. tracks. a gearing driven from the vehicle. segmental gear slidal ly mounted on the link shaft and adapted to engage with said driven gearing to operate the ram tracks. a push rod connected to the seek mental gear. a hell-erank lever mounted on the vehicle and autonmtieally operable to sol actuate said ptish rod to onneet the seernental gear to the driv n gearing. a ram forth.

a shalt.

sanl w .iative cam track sections adapted io restore thr same to normal, and means l'or operating the shaft of the beet puller arms from the vehicle substantially as wt lorth.

l-J. in a leei. harvesting machine the coinni'wui n al' a vehiele, means for cutting and partially raisin; the beets from the ground. a shaft. heel puller arms arranged in pairs and roiatahly mounted on said shaft, :1 frame iiwill v mounted on the shafheam trash set-{huts mounted on said frame, a l'reinrmounted to oseillate on the shaft, earn trurl; se -lions mounted on said oseillative frame. said llllt track sections adapted to eoop at with the beet puller arms a gearing adapted to inirrini'ttently actuate the oscillalive iiaek seetions from the vehicle. a weight eonm-eted to said oseillative frame mil ttil to restore the same to normal, and meair: for operating the shaft of the beet puller arms team the vehicle. substantially as wt forth.

13. in an ap mratus for topping beets the voliil illiitlmi ot a plurality of rotatable stalls, s slida i mounted on said staffs. gripper arms r-arrieil by said slidable bars adapted in hold the beets. a knife disposed in the path ot' the eet rarried by the staffs. means for opemtin; the stalls. and means for actu atimr the ilidablo bars to release the beets tron: and gripper arms, substantially as set forth.

ii. in an apparatus for topping: beets the runil iuation of a plurality of rotatable stalts. bars lidably mounted on said staffs. gripper arms earri d by said slidable bars adapted to hold the beets. a knife disposed in the path of the heels carried by the staffs, means i'or operating! the sta HS. and cam tracks for engaging: the sliolalde bars to release the hurts from said gripper arms, suhstantia ly 21 set t'orth.

ET. in an apparatus for topping beets the nm'nination of a plurality of rotatable statls, bars slidably mounted on said stafis, gripper arms carried by said slidable bars adapted in hold the heels. springs carried by the slidaliae bars adapted to hold said gripper arms in ()raa'ativo position. a knife disposed in the path of the beets carried by the stalfs, means for operating the stalls. and cam tracks for engaging the slidable bars to release the track sections,-

loosely mounted on beets from said as set forth. 7

16. In an apparatus for topping beets the combination of a plurality of rotatable staffs, bars slidably mounted on said staffs, gripper arms carried by said slidable bars adapted to hold the beets, springs connecting said slidable bars adapted to hold the gropper arms in operative position, members havlng cam slots mounted on said gripper arms, pins mounted on the staffs engaging the cam slotted members adapted to hold the gripper arms in open or closed position, means for operating the staffs, a topping knife, and cam tracks for engaging the slidable bars to release the beets from said gripper arms, substantially as set forth.

17. In an apparatus for topping beets the combination of a plurality of rotatable staffs, bars slidably mounted on said staffs, gripping members pivotally mounted on said slidable bars adapted to hold the beets, springs connecting said slidable bars adapted to hold the grippers in operative position, members having cam slots mounted on said grippers, pins mounted on the staffs engaging the cam slotted members to hold the grippers in open or closed position, means for operating the staffs, rollers mounted on the slidable bars, a topping knife, and cam tracks for engaging said rollers to release gripper arms, substantially the beets from said grippers, substantially as set forth.

18. In an apparatus for topping beets the combination of a plurality of rotatable staffs arranged in pairs, two pairs of bars slidably mounted on each pair of said staffs, an upper and a lower pair of gripper arms mounted on the slidable bars of each pair of staffs and adapted to hold the beets, means for operating the staffs, a topping knife, and cam tracks for engaging said slidable bars to release the beets from the gripper arms, substantially as set forth.

In an apparatus for topping beets the combination of a shaft, a plurality of staffs said shaft, means carried by said staffs for holding the beets, a topping knife, a pawl and ratchet drive for rotating the staffs upon the shaft, and means for releasing the topped beets, substantially as set forth.

20. In an apparatus for topping beets the combination of a shaft, a plurality of staffs loosely mounted on said shaft, means carried by said staffs for holding the beets, means associated with the shaft for carrying the staffs, a topping knife, and means for re leasing the topped beets, substantially as set forth.

21. In an apparatus for topping beets the combination of a shaft, a beet topping knife, a plurality of beet holding staffs loosely mounted on said shaft and operable to bring the beets against said topping knife, means mounted on the shaft for and carrying the same to means for releasing the stantially as set forth.

22. In an apparatus for topping beets the combination of a shaft, a beet topping knife, a plurality of beet holding staff's loosely mounted on said shaft and operable to bring the beets against said topping knife, a ratchet Wheel rotatable on the shaft, paWls carried by said staffs adapted to engage said said ratchet Wheel to raise the staffs, trips for actuating said pawls to release the staffs carrying the betts, and means for releasing the topped beets, substantially as set forth. 7

23. In a beet harvester and topping mameans for moving engaging the staffs top the beets, and topped beets, subchine the combination of the beets from the ground, a plurality of rotatable carriers having means to receive the beets, a topping knife, means for temporarily holding the carriers in advance of the topping knife, means operable from the beet removing means to release said carriers to bring the beets to engage the topping knife, means for releasing the topped beets from the carriers, and means for operating the beet removing means and the beet carriers, substantially as set forth.

24. In a beet harvester and topping machine the combination of means for removing the beets from the ground, a plurality of rotatable carriers having means to carry the beets, a topping knife located adjacent the path of the carried beets, a device for temporarily holding the carriers in advance of the topping knife, a tripping device carfrom the carriers, the beet removing riers, substantially as set forth.

25. In a beet harvester and topping machine the combinatioof means for removing the beets from the ground, a plurality of rotatable carriers adapted to receive the beets from said removing means, means for moving said carriers, a topping knife located adjacent the path of the carriers, a stop located in advance of said topping knife adapted to temporarily hold the carriers thereat, means carried by the several carriers for holding the same through the carrier held by said stop, a tripping device associated with the beet removing means connected to automatically release said stop to allow the carriers to move, means for releasing the topped beets, and means for actuating said beet removing means and the carriers, substantially set forth.

26. In a beet harvester and topping machine the combination of means for removing the beets from the ground, a plurality of rotatable carriers adapted to receive the and means for operating means and the beet car- 

